Printing-plate and process of preparing the same.



' Winer -yew:- n f/az eni- N9. 857,5 31. I I PATENTBD JUNEis, 1907.

. I i M.A. M01535.- I PRINTING. PLATE AND PROCESS OF PREPARING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED DEQJI, 1901.

4 sums-sum 1.

No. 857,531 PATENTED JUNE 13, 19.07.

. M. A. McKEE. PRINTING PLATE AND PROCESS OF PREPARING THE SAME.

A APPLIUATION TILED DEG. 21, 1901. Q

. 4 BKEETB-SKEET Z.

PATENTED JUNE 18, 1907. A. MOKEB. PRINTING PLATE AND PROCESS OFLPREPARING THE SAME.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 21, 1961.

5 111111111111; IIII/IIII/II "III/l'I/IIIA villi PATENTED JUNE 18. 1907.

I M. A. MbKEB. PRINTING PLATHAND PROCESS OF PREPARING THE SAME.

' 4SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED :STATES rATmvT MILTON ABBOTT MOKEE, OF NEW YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR TO .0. B. COTTRELD & soNs COMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., AND STONINGTOECONNECTI-f OUT, A CORPORATION, OF NEW JERSEY. I

' FRINTIN G-fPLAT E AND Phobsss PREPARING THE SAME.-

To all whom it. may concern:

Be it known that .I, MILTON ABBOTT i MoKEE, a citizen of the United States, and a I tionspf the plate and the press, techn1cally resident of the borough of Manhattan, in the city and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Print ng- Plates and Processesof Preparing the Same,

' of which the following is a specification.

In the manufacture of printing p1 ates, it is not possible to produce a plate wit a perfect face or even with a face so nearly perfect as that the printers may work directly there- 'from, and in'consequen'ce it is the universal practice, when printing is-to be donefrom such plates, to resort to certain mampula,-

known as making ready. and which consists in underlaying the plate and overlaying on the impression cylinder, so as to compensate for the irregularities of the plate and obtain therefrom impressions of the ex act character required, it being usually the case that some portions of the plate should print lighter or heavier t'hanother portions,

and such variations 'or' depths of impression V may be obtained by the usual custom of,

underlaym'g and overlaying. But this work is exceedin' ly slow, timemonsumingy and 111 the case 0 artistic printing requires N the treatment of an electrotypeplate as this form of plate is most used in printing, but it is .to be understood that my invention is broadly applicable to printing plates generally.

In carrying out my invention I take a re-' lief plate as it comes from the electrotyper and subject it to a course of treatment whereby when the plate is finished not only will all ol the original defects in the plate have been corrected, but the printing face ottlie plate will have been worked or broughtinto a con- Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed December gr, 1901. Serial m. 86,759.

pressed portions of the plate the Patented June 18,1907.

dition such that the exact eharacteroi impression desired from such late may be Ob". tained at once, for examp c, all those portions of the plate which are to yield heavy impressions and all those portions which are to yield l i hter impressions are so treated locally as t p press it will produce impressmns exactly in at when the plate is put upon the accordance with those predetermined by the previous treatment of the plate, all of the work being put into the plate instead of into underlaymg and overlaying. First. a proof is taken while the plate is lItthe condition in which it arrives from the electrotyper, for the purpose of ascertainin the defects in the late and determining t e corrections whic must be made therein and also for determining the articular portions of'the plate which should e madeto print respect vely light and heavy. In determining-these matters the, proof sheet is marked in encil where the corrections and changes in t e plate. are to be made, and then the pres'sm'an w1ll cut out from the proof sheet such po'rtionsof the im ression as. are to be printed heavier and a d to the proof sheetpieces of paper at those portions of the impression which .are 'to print lighter, the strength of the impression being graduated or reduced to the minimum or vanishing pointzif desired, by addin several thicknesses ofpaper wherev neede therule to be observed being to build up'highest where the impressions are to be lightest and to depress or-cut away from the v proof or base sheetwhere the impressions are to be heaviest, the intermediate portiohs, to

have varying thicknesses or to be built up atdi-fierent levels between the two extremes where there are portions to be pr nted with graduated strength of impression. This proof sheet thus cut out and built up constitutes what I designate as a matrix? and is,

used subsequently for the purpose of; rodncing in the face of the plate a series 0 depressions and elevations the reverse of those produced in the matrix, and so that when I impressions are taken from the plate the high or elevated portions of the face will yield t e darkest impressions and the lower or dethe matrixmay be left in the last. mentioned ges shall be made press a couple of the matrix is thenminutes, more or less, until preferably laid face up on the flat, cold bed the lplate has sufficiently cooled and set and of an ordinary shaving machine and the plate so t rat it may be handled readily without placed thereu on face down so that the high danger of changing or disturbing its form. 7o an low portions of the matrix shall-register Immediately thereafter the plate may be put with those portionsof theface of the plate upon the bed or plate-cylinder of a printm that are to be made respectively low and elepress andimpressions taken therefrom Withvated. The late and the matrix being then out resorting to the work of making read properly helc in position upon the bed, the as efore explained, inasmuch as it will be shaving knife is actuated so as to take a plufound that the printing face of the plate Wlll rality of cuts from the back of the plate. In en be provided or formed with the desired malnng t iese cuts the knife will cause the epressions and elevations, which were pre-. plate to yield 01 to be deflected H1 accordance determined b the pressman 1n the makin with the steps, depressions or cut-outs in the of the matrix fi -om the proof sheet and which matrix, and in such. amanner, as will beherein consequence, will then yield impressions inafter more fully described, as that at the light and dark of exactly the character recompletion of the shaving operations there quired. will be produced in the back of the plate a In preparing plates for line or artistic late series of depressions and elevations the oppoprinting, nown as half-tone Wor to site of those previously formed or produced which my invention is especially directed, in t e matrix while at thesame time, owin it maysometimes be necessary or desirable to the resiliency of the plate, the face of the to emp oy in connection withthe hot pressplate will be or remain straight and even or ing operation a sheet of blotting paper or substantiallyso. These depressions and eleother soft material, so as to protect the face 0'- vations thus produced in the back of the of the plate against injury, which might plate are provided in order that similar deotherwise occur if the face were pressed diressions and elevations may subsequently rectly against the paper of thematrix or. the lie produced in the face of the plate. The bed of the machine where the matrix is out next preferred step in the mode of treatment out, of't e plate is to sub ect the plate While still My invention therefore consists in certain in register with the matrix, to the action of processesor improvements 1n the art of treatheat an pressure, so as to enable the projecmg previously made relief pnntmg plates as tions on the back of the plate ,to be forced we as in the plate itself as a new art1cle of forward as it were, and similar projections manufacture, all as will be hereinafter more orced into the hollows or depresswns in the fully described and particularly pointed out matrix at t e ace of the plate and durme in the appended claims. this operation, inasmuch as a Hat platen is A simple illustration of this process isfuremployed to press upon the back of the plate .nished in the accompanying drawings in .wlnle the matrix and the plate lie on the bed which '105 .Uf the machine, the hack of the plate will si- .Ifigure 1 represents an impression from multaneousl y be pressed true or even. This theplate to be treated taken onthe sheet of o erationr o producing the depressions and thin hard, finished paper which is to form the e ovations in the face of the plate and at the Jase sheet of the matrix' Fi 2 is a face view same time truing the back of the plate may of said' sheet with an outline of the impres in be performed in any suitable press and the sion showing its different parts out out and ed and platen thereof may both be heated. buil up as required to form thc matrix, ig. prefer to' use heat at a temperature less 3 is a transverse section of the matrix face then the melting point of the hacking lead or 1; Ward in the line 3, 3, of Fig. 2, with, the metal'of the plate, but sufficient, however, to plhte ready to be-placed upon it face filo Ilenable the face of the plate to conform to the w rd Fig, 4 i a transverse se ti s] we, f face of thematrix and to retain this conforthe matrix and superposed plate upon :the mfltiol'i e r Tho plate and the m.abed of the shaving machine, illustrating the trix may be left together under this heat and simultaneous pressing and shaving action of pressure for a minute, more or less, according the knife of said machine 1 1g. 5 is a transt0 the exigencies of the 08 89 verse section of the plate face downward after For the purpose of expediting the finishe s aving operation; Fig. 6 is a transverse ing of the plate and il'isuring-thc setting of sectional view of the board, the matrix, the the face thereof to conform to the outlines of so ,t paper sheet and the plate as placed tothe matrix, the plate and mat x a rcgether to be subject topressure and heat; [25 moved from the heating; 7 a. sectional yiewbf the same parts chine and hen place H1 another .11. r in Fig, 0' after having been subjected steam is no heat, an:- which 11; may be 1:: a and pressure Fi n 8 is a section of the kept cool by the one nfirm of cold water sea .l plate face up. lg. Qis a transverse througngthe bcdof the press The plateau cw Men of a flat finished printing plate embodying m invention, andl-Fig. 10 is a similar view 0 a curved plate embodying my invention.

'Similai. letters of reference designate correspondingparts in all the figures.

In these views the thicknesses of the paper employed in the proccss'and the scarcely visible greater or loss prominence of parts of the surface of the plate are somewhat exaggerated to render them distinguishable to the eye.

Referring first to Fig. 1, those parts designated'by the letters A re uire to be darker and those designated by B require to be made lighter. Referring next to Fig. 2, the parts A to be made darker including the greater portion of the dress are cut out from the base sheet C, as indicated on the dotted linesa c, and the parts B B including the edges which are to be vignetted and the,

front and one out? of the dress which are to be made lighter, are built up by the superposie tion upon them of the additional thicknesses of paper I) b if b. In the building up of the parts B only one thickness 1) of paper is indicat'ed, but for the building up of the parts B to be vignetted, three thicknesses b b b are superposed one upon another, the said thicknesses being of such form and size that the lower one 5 covers a greater ortion of -the base sheet C, and that I) am b cover lesser arid lesser portions and hence that the thickmass of the superposition is greatest toward the outer portion of the base sheet where the'inipression is to be most lightened.

By comparing the sectional views, Figs. 3 and 4 with the face view Fig. 2, with reference to the c'orres' ending letters thereon, it

will be understooi how the matrix is formed upon. and in the base sheet C, for the-recap ticn of theplate P to be treated.

In Fig. &, D desi nates the shaving knife,

E the bed of the s aving machine, and H matrixaccording to the preferre "tions of the base sheet are superir pasted one or more plies OY'thlC shavings being removed by the knife, In Fig. 5 it. will seen how the face of the shared pi ate afterhaving been released from pressure, resumes its levelfor1n,leavin the thicker ortions of the plate projecting mm the bee t thereof. In Figs. 6 and 7, F designates the press board upon whichthe matrix Q (1 H6 5 b is placed, and G the blotting pa-'' per between the matrix'and-the plate. b1 8 shows the finished plate having its back even or ievel and having the different parts of itsface P" more or less prominentaccording It ,will be observed that in preparing the plan, the base sheet is out out at those portions of the proof impression which in the final printing operation from the piate are to print darkest or heaviest; then upon the remaining 'porasses I of accorr ing J nlppsed and paper or other material at those which are to print lighter from the p ate, the. built-up portions being graduated or comprising dlilerent thicknesses of'material arranged in step-like order so as to reduce'or lighten the impression at the various desired ortions of the plate, those portions of the ortions atter which are to yield the lightest or faint-- est im ressions having the greater number of thic nesses or built-up portions, and those ing a lesser number of thicknesses or plies and gradually tapering or stepping down to the openin s or cut-outs in the base sheet which yiel the heaviest or darkest impres sions. v

Referrin to Fig. 2, it will be seen that there are t iree' pieces or portions of sheets superimposed at different plaoesupon the base sheet, and-that these portions are of irregularshape and underlie one another so as to provide a senses of step-like or gradually ascending series of su erposed portions that is to say, the NHL en'nost portion or mount 1) projects inward toward the center thickness of the matrix at b consists of the base sheet and the portion b while the total thickness of the matrix at 6 consists of the 1 thickness of the baseshect and the thicknesses of the superposed. portions b and b,"

while the thickness of the matrix at 12 consists of-the thicknesses of the base sheet and the superposed portions 5 b, and b. By

this construction and arrangement of the matrix the latter is highest at the portion b, .isnext highest at the portion '1); is stilllower at b; and is lowest at the base sheet where the out out portions are provided.

on the same level as' the arge portion b as.

light impressions similar to those produced by b are required at these points. Of

course there may be as many thicknesses f of su erposed pieces as may" be desired,

to the graduation ofthe impressions to portions may consist of smaller pieces than those shown and they may be distributed or placed at the various parts of the prod! in accordance with the character of impressions efobtained, and these superposed to be t-alien from the printing plate. After i the formation of. the matrix thus in accordupon the fiat bed of a shavingmachinewith thebuilt-upportionsu permost, and the plate to be afl'ectedthere yis then laid face i 5 down on said matrix and vin proper register therewith. qThe back ofiuthc plate'is now to be subjected to the ggction of ashaving knife for the purpose of producing in or on 75' I which are toyield heavier impressions hav 9 of the base sheet farther than the portion b, and the latter projects inward fartherthan the portion 6, so that the OOIIIbHlGll' 12o ancewith the tones of the subject it is laid t the sai time in the matrix by the built-up'and eut-outJwrtions of the latter, in order that formedin the back of the plate may subseuently be produced or formed in the face of t e plate by a succeeding step in the treating a l process, as will hereinafter appear.

Theplate and matrix having been properly placed on the bed of the shaving machine,

-as illustrated at Fig. 4, the shaving knife, 4 which is mounted to run true in a given plane across theback of the plate, is set so'as to cut a thin shaving or chip from the-,back of the plate, and the knife is then started on its travel to out a shaving or, chip which will include all ortions of the plate that "are sup orted by t 1e built-up portions of the matrix heath. The knife, however, will not cut.

from the back of the plate those portions of the plate which are unsupported by the matrix; that is to say, the pressure of the knife -u. on the back of the plate is such that when t e lines or points of pressure of the knife on the plate reach a place or places opposite to or in alinement with depressions or cut-outs in the matrix, such portion. or

- portions ofthe plate will, under the pressure of theknife, be deflected or depressed. to

either fill or partially fill such depressions or cut-aways in the matrix, and the knifebeinguna le to follow the deflection or depression of; the plate willin consequence pass over such-place or places on the back ofthe plate without shavingor cutting the same, and thus at the end of the first cut or chip there will be produced in the hack of the plate depressed and elevated portions; that is to say, the plate will be of different thicknesses, being thlnner where the cuts were taken and of the-normal thickness where the metal e'scaped the knife. It may be necessary to take several such cuts from the back of the plate i so as to reduce finally elevations of sul'licient heig t and depressionsof. sullic ent depth subse uently to produce elevations pf suiiici-ent might and, depressions of siii'licient depth for the purpose of ohtaining;respec tively the desired heavy and light printiii'p" from the faceof the plate. Depending upon the character or construction of the shaving machine either the knife or tl'iej-bedof the machine; will be adjusted fen tlilj lfsucceeding ofQthe' ilate to the cutt n knife f cuts, orif neither of these inernbers adj ustable, as 111 some shav ng machines; there will be added uhderneatlrthernatrixfsucto raiscithe back needing sheets of ma s *hen the nextcut ist'a en theplatc will again bedeflected or depressedinto the hollows or cut-aways in the matrix by the pressure of the knife when it arrives o'p osite such portions in-the manner'herein efore expla ned, and at the complctionfof'this cut :"it will be noted that the ,elevajihiis on the v 5gf bacltof the plate are greater than-before and depressions and elevations thus "lane of the that the depressions thereon are-likewise deeper. In taking the first out we may as* sume that the knife is set to shave afthickness equal to the uppermost ply or piece b.-

As long as the plate is supported'by the. matrixby the part b audits underlying pieces, the knife will take off an even thicknessof shaving, but when-the knife arrives over thefirst step or at the ihner edge of the portion I), the crowding" action of the knife will press the metal downwardly until the bearing on, or is stopped, by, the portion b and its underlying portions, and the knife will fail to out the upper portion of the late atv such depressed portion, and similar 3 as or press down those portions of the plate that are opposite the stopped or lowered por tiens of the matrix; and therefore, at the completion of the out it will be found that only those portions of thebaclr of the plate have been out which were supported by the up-built portions b of the underlying matrix and hence there will he, on the back surface ofthe plate, aseries of depressions corresponding in number to the high spots orv ieces b on the matrix. When the next cut meets the elevation. or set of elevations matrix, when it will depress the plate until the face thereof takes a hearing on the pertions 1) or the second step down on t matrix; but, inasmuch as there is a projection or a series of projections on the plate at such place or places which extend above the plane of the cutting edge of the knife, the knife parts of the'plate over the places '7) but also off the parts over the pieces h; but when the knife arrives at the depressions B itrwili depress the plate thereinto, and since at this metal on the back of the plate to extend above the cutting 312,119 01 theknife, the knife will fail to 't'al place during its travel at this time; (in the "next run of the knife, however, when the will he a portion of the bacltof'the plate ontheback of the plateor until it again comes opposite the stepped portions of the will then take a shaving not onlyoff the" ocality there is not enough projection of the is off the metal at this face of the plate opposite the parts 11 takes a the knife continues its passage it will deflect is made the knife will plough along until it plate is pressed down on to the seat b there which extends above the cutting plane of the one; that. is to say, one without any interior openings, breaks or spaces. It may be said here that the sha of the first chip correspondssubstantia ly to the outline of'the uppermost seat or piece b, the second chip to that'o'f the seat or piece b ,-an'd so on down-tothe'lowest but owing to the crowd-- ing and pressing action of the knife on the particles of metal constituting the chip or shaving, the latter is compressed 'or condensed to such an extent that when the outting operation is completed, the. chip may be of 0111' half the length of the late.

It 3 WM be borne in min that owing to the copper shell on the face of the electro-.

type plate, the plate has a certain amount of resiliency, and hencethat when the various portions of the plate are deflected 0r pressed down by the pressure of the passing knife, such deflections are but temporaryand'that as soon as the pressure" of theknife is re-' moved, such deflected portions spring back to normal position. 'lher'efore it will be seen that when all of the several shaving operations are concluded, the face of the plate ting process and sis-predetermined and con-- trolled by the make-up oroonstruction of the matrix.

After the shaving operation just described andwhilc the matrix is still in register with the plate the latter is subjected to the action of heat and pressure add-the projections on the back of the plate are forced forward and similar projections-forced into the hollows or depressions in the matrix at the face of the plate, and at the same time the back of i the plate is pressed true or even as represented' at Fig. 7. this operation, as before described, the "plate and .matrix are removed from the heating and pressing machine and placed in another press where there is no heat and which is preferably kept cool, and by means of ressure the face of the plate is positively an finally set to conform to the outlines of the matrixfland whepremovvd lroln the last mentioned press the plate will have the appearance represented at Fig. 8, wherein it will be observed that the back of tlui plate l. is true or even while the lace l ,'-wluclrcrmstitutes the printing surl'ure of the plate, is irregular or high and low at dill'en-nt places so as to have a varying pressure on the paper 'in. the printing opera- Lion, and thus yield varying strengths of impression fir heavy and. light impressions on the surface of the paper and at the places predetermined by'tho making or the matrix 'lrom a proof or copy of the matter or subort- \\'lll(:l1 the plate 11 it! rented bears.

Of course --rny improved plates 'may be printed from win'ie they are in their fiat state or they may be curved to go on a plate cylinder as usual. When the curved they are curved wit the matrix and blotter under heat and pressure in a suitable press, and then cooled and set subsequently in a similar press. c

It will be seen'that by my invention I have produced a printing plate wherein there are depressions-and elevations in the printing face formed at those portions where the impressions are to be respectively light and dark; also that the printingplate or electrotype is madewith an even back while its lates are to be face 15 formed or provided with u'ndulating portions at predetermined places so as tofl yield different predetermined strengths of impression. .It will also be seen that in carr ng out my recess I first repare a prejli i ninary gradi iated surface accordance with the printing tones to beobtained and then operate on the plate by pressure through this preliminary or interveni graduated surface to produce the desire graduate d printing surface in the face of the plate.

Furthermore, it will be seen that I produce the graduations necessary for the printing surface of the plate by applying graduate pressures or different degrees of pressure to various sections of the printi plate. My process as herein described a so results in reducing thethiekness of the plate in accordance withsome of the tones of the subject andin the fixing permanently in the'face of the plate of such tones. I

It wil be seen that in practicing my process I produce a printing plate having graduated elevations on its printing surface cor-' ;respond1-ngrin order with the solid or dark tones and "the intermediate tones of the subject on the face of the plate. It will also be seen that I have produced a printing plate varying in structural thiqkness in accord ance with the several pressures required 'for printing and in accordanceswith the various tones of the subject on the face of the plate.

Such a printing plate has the sections which are designed to printthe darker shades permanently elevated above the levels of the sections adapted for the lighter shades, and the levels are graded one into thepother from the permanently elevated parts to the lightest printing shades, so that in prolile the plate is uneven or irregular in its printing race. .In short it will be obscrvm that l have produced a printing plate wherein the required make-ready is permanently produced in the face of the plate.

gradations in accordance with ho far as my knowledge extends, no printing plate of this description has ever before been produced, andin consequence of my improvements in the plate it will be seen that all the objectionable, expensive and diilicult 20 of sue 6c udgment in ma work of making ready may now be en- I tirel y dispensed with, although 1 may add .here that if after the making of the plate the r ressman should at any time during the course 5 of the printing therefrom desire to change the character of impressions by further light ening or increasing the same be may for such purpose underlay" or overlay in the usual manner, but ordinarily the plates may be made at the outset to conform exactly to What is required by the pressman or to what is demanded by the nature of the plate to be worked from. i

Inso far as certain features of my improvemerits in the art of treating or manipulating the plate are concerned, it will be understood that d0 notwish to' be limited to each and ofthe steps of the eemplete'process to steps may be used Withopt others or in connection with still other ste s or modes .of treatment to produce certain of the results producedlfby me -and to avoideither in whole .or inpa-rt the work of underlaying--and -.0v61'?laying. I desire tu nover-herein not only the process as an entirety, but also the 1 essential steps or sub-processes thereof. g

, The-following are some-of the advantages .to be obtained with plates produced by this The, ressman can prepare the ;plats ahead. When he receives an order to ut them on the press, they are ready and no fhrtherwork on them is required. One

matrix can be used forany numberof dupli 3'5 cate plates;-a great advantage. The usual uiiderlays and overlays are not required,

since their effects are produced on the face of the plates and the strike-off. between the and "overlays. 1 The press can be innnedjately started up. as, soon as'the plates are pro rly imposed andreg-v vister'ed. The origina uneven thickness .al-

ways found in eledtro-plates (caused by the electi e-type process) is entirely gotten rid of,

. 8,3; the preparation of plates by the foregoing metho' remove'sall such 'im ail-avast am0unt..-.of'wor expense. Yrgnetted cuts .are always .a bane to the ressman and regire excellent and careful 'ng ready; also constant watching when the press is oducing work. 'Such plates'bn'account of t 'eirlight printinglpharactersglways get ,thick' or Wear out to suhject'the plate, for some.

.which are to appear ;in the (printing plate,-

I manufactured .rel-ief'prmting platesf which The plates being level-r .plate to be printed from,

While the ressman" -.ing in. the latter an rfeetlorgs', say- .manpfaetured relief prifiti ovell 'malke-rehfiy. ji m he bloc p llatcs treated by the'foregoing process are absolutely perfect, as Without any in whatever its hard edges are slightly depressed, obtaihing a light and delieate'im-v pression without the usual delicate treatment on the cylinders or the use of engraving tobls, roulettes or knocking below the printing pressure with a punch and hammer.

'i'ihat I claim as my invention is: i. That improvement in the art of treating .anufactured relief printing, plates which consists in mechanically producing in the printing face of such plate depresslons and elevations at predetermined lacesrwhere the printing is to be respectively gilt and heavy, 813 apd in also evening or leveling the back of the p ate. 7 i 2. ,That improvement in the art of treating manufactured relief printing plates which consists in preparing from a proof of-the matter which is .on the face of the plate to be printed from a matrix with high andlow p'ortions corresponding respectively. to the depressions and elevations which are to appear in the face of the printing plate, then placing go the matrix and the printing plate face to face and subjecting the two to pressure and in then evening or leveling the backof-the plate. 3. That improvement in the art of treating manufactured relief printing plates which consists in preparing from a proof .a matrix With'high and low ortions corres ondihg'respectively to the, epressions an' elevatlons thenplacing the matrix an the-printing plate -face ,to-face subjecting the two to heat and pressure, and in evening or leveling the "back of the plate. cut overlay-end plate which happens so often 4. That improvementin the art of treating IO consists in'takin'g'apopy of the faeeof the 5 in preparing from such copy a matrix with. high and low per tions and then forcing the'face of the printing. plate against the matrix and producing in' r the plate" depressions andelevations-the rcverse of those in the matrix, andin 'subse quently evening or leveling the back of the plate 5. That improvement inthe art of treating manufactured relief printing plates which consists in forming'on a. proof sheet a matrix with an uneven.-surface and then' pressing said matrix and plate together and producnne ven printingsurface corresponding in reverse to that of 'thematrix. "6. That improvementin the oftrea'tin g p rab es. consists in fonn 'ngon a pro I eat; a ma;tr1x-- with an un'e ven"suriace; =the reverse'uf that-to s 5 be produced in the plateand.tl1en by means of heat Iand pressure causing" the prim" face of the plate to conform to the inequalities of the matrix.

' 7. That improvementinthehrt oi'treating r30 'ric I manufactured relief printing plates which consists in taking an impression of the matg teri on the face of the plate to be printed from and determining from said impression wliiare the face of the printing platels to be changed;

.:..then preparing a matrix with high and-low portions corresponding respectively with the it of the p depressions and elevations which are to'be' produced in the plate, and then applying such matrix to the face of the plate and producing in the latter the said predetermined depressions and elevations. 1 That im rovement inthe art of treating manufactured consists in taking a proof of the plate, forming a matrix therefrom, producing from said 7 matrix projections or elevations in the back ate by a cutting operation, and then transferring same to the face of the plate.

9 That 1'm rovement in the art of treating inanufacture relief printing plates so as to vobtain pottions thereof which shall print heavier than other portions of the "plate; Twhich consists in preparing a-matrix from a suitable sheet of fabric by cutting out therefrom portions corresponding to those portions of the plate which are to produce the .xheavier impressions, then applying said matrix to the face of'saidplate with the cut out portions in register with said portions of the plate which are to subjecting the matrix-and and causing the portions 0 the plate registering withthecut out POILiOIlS'OfYlilIB matrix to be elevated above theremaining por '10. That improvement in the art of treating amanufactured relief printing plates so asto i obt'ainr portions thereof which shall print heavier than other portions of the plate,

which consists in preparing a matrix froma suitable sheet of fabric by cutting out 'there- -from portions corresponding to those portions of the plate which are to produce the heavier impressions, then applying said matrix to the face of the said plate with the cut .out portions in register with said portions of the plate which are to print heavier, and then sulnecting the matrix and plate to heat and pressure and causing-the portions of the plate registering with the cut out portions of the niatrixto be elevated above the remaining portions of the plate.

v1] That improvement in the art of treating manufactured relief printing plates so as to obtain portions thereof which shall print lighter than other portions of the plate, which consists in preparing a matrixjiroma suitable sheet oflabric by building up thereupon portions corresponding to those portions of thr-fiplate, which are to produce the lighter .impressions, then applying said matrix to the l'mr'ee il said plate with the built upportious in registcr with thesaid portions of the plate which are to print lightegand then subjectrelief printing plates which rint heavier, and then plate to pressure with the bui t up portions of the nw/tiirifito bc w h p Y depressed below the remainin the face ofthe plate. i

12. That improvement i the art of treat ing manufactured relief printing plates so as to obtain portions thereof which shall print lighter than other portions of the plate, Whioh consists in'preparing a matrix from a suit able sheet of fabric by building up thereupon portions corresponding to those portions of the plate which are to produce the lighter impressions, then applying said matrix to the face of saidplate with the built up portions in register with the said portions of the plate which are to print lighter, and then subject ing the'matrix and plate to .heat'and. pres sure and causing the portions of the late 1 registering with thebuilt upportions o the matrix to be depressed. below the remaining portions of the plate. a i I 13. That improvement in'the art oftreating manufactured relief printing plates so'as to obtain portionsithereof which shall print light and other portions which shall print heavier, and which consists in preparing a matrix from asuitahle sheet of fabric by building u portions of the sheet for those portions 0 the plate which are to print light and cutting out portions of the sheet" for thoseportions' of the plate which are to print heavier, and then subjecting the matrix and plate to pressure and causing the portions of. the plate registering with the built up'portions of the matrix to be depressed and those portions of the plate registering with the out out portions of the matrix to be elevated;

14, That improvement in the art of treat ing nianui'acturedrelief printing plates so as to obtain portions thereof-which shall print light and other portions which shall print heavier, and which consists in preparing a matrix from a suitable sheet of fabric by building up portions of the sheet for those g portions of IOO portions of the plate;whiohare to print light a and cutting. out portions of the sheet for those 3 paring printing plates which consists in producing in the back of the plate depressions and elevations at predetermined placesyand then su hsequently producing similar 'depres-J sions and. elevations in the lace of the plate whorithe printing is to berespectively light and heavy bypressingforward tl'ie elevations produced in the back of the plate 16. That improvement in the art of preducing in the back of the plate an uneven surface, then applying to the of the plate a matrix having a (EOIZGSPOHCllIIg uneven surface, and then subjecting the two to heat and pressure.

30. That iiriprovemer'rt in the art of preparing printing plates which consists in producing an unevermess in the back of the plate by cutting operations and while the .face of the platen held against a correspondinglyiunev'en faced matrix.

31. That improvement in the art of pre- (paring printing plates which consists in pro .ducing an imevenness in the back of the slate by cutting operations and while the face of the plate is held against a correspondmgly uneven faced matrix, and then sub- {looting the plate and matrix to the action of eat and pressure and causing the unevenness in the back of the plate to ap ear in the face of the plate and the back of t is plate to become substantially smooth and even.

32. That improvementin the art of preparing printing plates which consists in roducing mthe back of the plate a series 0 depressions and elevations, then applying to the face of the plate any suitable soft material such as blotting paper, and applying to V the outer side of such material a' matrix havmg a face corresponding substantially to the depressions and elevations in the back of the plate, and then subjecting the whole to heat and pressure.

34. That improvement in the art of preparing printing plates which consists in roducing 1n the back of the late a series 0 depressions and elevations, t en subjecting said plate to heat and ressure together with a matrix applied to t :e face of the plate and having epressions and elevations correspondin substantially to those on the back 0 the piate, and then subjectin the plate and matrix to the action of col and pressure. 35. The process herein described, of treating a printing plate for the purpose of givin greater prominence to the different parts 0 its face, according to the heavier or lighter. imprint desired, consisting in first obtaining an impression of the plate on a sheet of suitable fabric, then forming a matrix by cutting Out certain portions of said sheet' and building up other portions with additional thickness of fabric, and afterward placing said matrix and the plate face to face, and subjecting them together to heat and pressure, substantially as herein set forth.

36. The process herein described, of treatleeg hinting plates by obtain-big an impression of the plate on a sheet of suitable fabric; second, forming a matrix by cutting i out certain portions of said sheet and buildl ing up other portions with one ormore additional thicknesses of fabric; third, placing said matrix and plate face to face while shaving the back of the plate and fourth, sub jecting to heat and pressure the said shaved plate and the matrix while facing each other with an interposed sheet of' soft material, substantially as herein set forth.

37. The process herein described of treat ing a printing plate by first obtaining on a sheet of suitable fabric an impression from an ordinary electrotype plate; second, forminga matrix by cutting out from saidsheet those portions corresponding with the parts of the plate frdm which the blacker or heavier 1mprint' is desired and building up those portions corresponding with the parts of the plate from which lighter imprints are desired by the su erposition and securing thereon of addition thickness of paper of the requisite form; third, placing this matrix and the plate face to face and shaving the back of the plate 'to reduce its thickness where desired; fourth, placing said matrix on a board with a sheet ofsoft paper over the matrix and laying the plate on the soft sheet with itsface thereon; fifth, subjecting said board, matrix, soft sheet and plate together to. pressure and heat, and finally, subjecting said board, ma-

tially as herein set forth.

38. That improvement in the art of pre paring printing plates which consists in propressing and cooling operations, substanplate.

40. The process of produc ng a graduated printing surface Whic consists n first producing a graduated surface representing the and then by pressure causing graduations predetermined by the preliminary graduated surface to appear in the icon of the plate.

42. That improvement in the art of preplying pressure to the plate through an intervening graduated surface to form gradua' tions in the face of the plate.

43. That improvement in. the art of pre trix, soft sheet and plate .to simultaneous ducing by pressure the graduat-ions necessary plate to forin graduations in the face of the rinting tones and then by pressure produc: i 15 preparing a pr iminary graduated surface paring printing plates which consists in apr2 5 paring printing plates which consists in forc- I30 ing into the face of the plate relative elevations and depressions corresponding to the tones of the subject.

44. The process of producing a graduated printing surfacc which consists first in preparing a graduated surface in accordance with the printing tones to he obtained and then operating on the plate with said graduated surface so as to cause said graduated surface to produce the desired graduated printing surface in the face of the plate.

45. The process of producing a graduated printing surface which consists first in pre paring a graduated surface and then by pressure causing the graduations of said giadw ated surface to be permanently fixed in the face of the printing plate.

-16. That improvement in the art of pre paring printing plates which consists inreducinp the thickness of the plate-in aecord ance with some of the tones of the subject and applying pressure to produce gradations .in the face of the plate in accordance with the tones of the subject.

-17. That improvement in the art of pre' ])&I111} 1, printing plates having make-ready formed therein which consists in applying a matrix to the plate and subjecting the plate and matrix to eat and pressure.

48. The herein described process of .pr ducing printing surfaces which consists in first forming a relief printing surface in a thin plate, and then applying different degrees of pressure to various sections thereof, thereby producing permanent differences in profile in said plate, the levels of which are in corre spondence with the darkness of the-shades to be printed by the sections.

49. The herein described process of producing printing surfaces which consists in first forming a graduated surface and then through said surface applying different de grees of pressure to various sections of the printing plate, thereby producing permanent differences in profile in said plate, the levels of which are in correspondence with 'the shades or tones to he printed by the sections.

50. The herein described process of pro dueing printing surfaces, which consists first in fUI'lllll'lg a relief printing surface in a yielding material and then producing a graded printing surface by applying different degrees of pressure to various sections thereof and so as to produce permanentgraded alterations in the surface in profile.

-51, 'lhat improvcmentin the art of treat in g manufactured relief printing plates which consists in producing in the printing face of the plate depressions and elevations at predetermined places where the printing is to-he, respectively light and heavy and in also ev'en ing or leveling the hack of the plate and in then subsequently curving the plate.

52. 'lhat improvement in the art of' 'tre at ing nu mufactured'r :licf printing plates which consists in forming on a proof sheet a matrix with an uneven surface, then pressing said matrix and plate together and producing in the latter an uneven printing surface corr spending in reverse to that of the matrix, and in then curving said plate with the matrix applied to thejace side thereof.

53. Thatimprovement in the art of treating manufactured relief printing plates which consists in forming on a proof sheet ii. matrix with an uneven surface, then pressing said niatrix and plate together and producing in the latter an uneven printingsurface corresponding in reverse to that 'of the matrix, and in then curving said plate under heat and pressure with, a llltttl'lX applied to the face side of the plate and a soft hacking in- 4 ing printing p ates which consists in'pre arw ing a matrix and in producing in the of the platedepressions and elevations at predetermined places where the printing is to be respectively light and heavy, in then subsequently producing similar depressions and elevations in the faceofthe plate, and in then curving the plate with a matrix applied tomthefacc side thereof.

56. That improvement in the art of pre-" paring printing plates which consists in preparing a matrix and in producing in the back of the plate depressions and elevations at predetermined places where the printing is to be respectively light and heavy, in then subseuently producing similar depressions and e ovations in the face of the plate, in then curving the plate under heat and ressure with a matrix applied to the face sir e of the' plate, andin subsequentlycooling and setting the plate under pressure.

57. That improvement in the art of pre-v paring printing plates which consists in a. plying a pre )ared matrix to the face of tfie plate, then s raving the heck of the plate and producing therein hi 'h and low portions the reverse of those in e matrix, in then subeat andpressure and. causing depressions and elevations to appear-111 the face of the plate correspondingto those which had previously been formed in the back of the plate,

and in then curving the plate under heat an pressure with a matrix applied ,to the face side of the plate.

Kieting the plate andmatrix to the action of 2o applie 45 and with an applied matrix.

58. lhat improvementin the art of pre paring printing plates which consists in a plying a prepared matrix to the face of t e plate, then shaving the back of the plate and 5 producing therein hi I. and low portions the reverse of those in t e matrix, in then sub- 'ecting the plate and matr'ur to the action of cat and pressure and causing depressions and elevations to appear in the face of the plate corresponding to those which had reuously been formed in the back of the p ate, in then curving the plate under heat and pressure with a. matrix applied to the face side of the plate, and in then cooling and set r 5 ting the plate under pressure.

59. That improvement in the art of preparing curved printing plates having fmake ready formed therein, which consists in curvin the plate with a matrix or relief form (i to the face side of the plate.

60. That improvement in the art of preparing curved printing plates having make ready forme therein, which consists in curving the plate under heat and ressure with a matrix or relief form applie to the face side of the plate.

61. That improvement in the art of pre paring curved printing plates having make ready forms therein, which consists in 0 curving the plate under heat and pressure with a matrix applied to the face side thereof and soft material interposed between the matrix and the plate. i

62. That improvement in the art of pre-\ paring curved (printing plates having make ready forme therein, which consists in curving the plate under heat and ressure with a matrix applied to the face si e of the plate, and in then subsequently cooling and 40 setting the plate under pressure.

, 63. That improvement in the art of preparing curved (printing plates having make ready for-me therein, which consists in curving the plate under heat and pressure 64. As a new article of manufacture, a relief printing l{plate whose face constitutes the printing su ace and-is formed with uepressions and elevations at those portions where the impressions are to be respectively light and dark andwhose back is even and level. I 65. Asa new article of manufacture, a relief printing plate having an even and level I back and a predetermined undulating face 5 5 which constitutes the printing surface of the plate and which is adapted to yield different redetermined heavy and light impressions,

. eavy impressions at the raised portions of the plate and light im ressions at the depressed portions of thep ate.

66. As a new article of manufacture,-a relief rinting plate havhlg an evenl pressed bac and'apressed upprinting f 8,06 composed ofa series of print pro ections and depressionslformedmtpre etermined places formed gra the P atewhere the printing pressures are to be respectively heavy and light.

67. A. printing surface having the sections thereof, which are designed to print the darker shades, permanently elevated above the levels, of the sections adapted for the lighter-shades;

68. A printing surface having the sections thereof, which are designed to print the darker shades, ermanently elevated above the levels of t e sections adapted for the 'lighter shades, these levels being graded one into the other. I

69. A printing block having an uneven printing face or surface, parts of said printing surface being raised to correspond to the darkly shaded parts of the subject to be rinted, and other parts of its printing sur-' ace being de 'ressed to'correspond to the lighter shaded parts ofrthe subgectto be printed,' the whole surface level 0 the block eing a graduated rin surface.

70. Aprinting ate re need in thickness from the back an depressed from the front toeorres' 0nd to the successive adations of light an shade represented by t e picture on the face. i

71. A printing surface having sections thereof which are designed to print the darker shades ermanently elevated above the levels of the sections adapted for the lighter shades, the levels being aded one into the other from the permanent y elevated parts to the lightest printing shades 72. As a newarticle of manufacture, a relief plate having a permanently tones of the subject on the face of the plate.

76. As a new article of manufacture, a

.in. structural tmclmess a new'article of'man'ufacture, a

graduated relief printing'plate'varying in -to-t e thickness accordi onthebacln i As a new' article of manufacture, a printing plate having graduated elevations.

on its printing surface corres onding with the dark tones and the interme "ate tones of the subject on the face of the plate the dark tones being the highest.

78. As a new article of manufact ready permanently produc, the fac .6 a printing plate havlng the u'ir d f alievarious tones of thesubject on the ace of the plate, and even 1o determined heavy and lig 1t impressions.

79. As anew article of manufacture a re- 82'. As a, new article of manufacture, a

lief printing plate having a. predetermined curved printing plate having the re uired 5' uneven permanently formed printing face I make-ready permanently. produced in the which is adapted to yield different predeter- I face of the plate.

mined heavy and light impressions. i In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as 80. As a new article of manufacture, a my invention, have signed my name in curved relief printing plate having an even presence of two witnesses, this 19th day of 20 back and a predetermined uneven printing 1 December 1901.

face which is adapted to ielddifferent pre- I MILTON ABBOTT ('KFE 81. As" a new article of manufacture, a W'itnesses: I l v curved relief printing pla te having a perina- FnnnK. HAYNES, nently formed graduatedprmting surface. l LIDA -M. Eennn'r. 

